Gramophone record sleeves

ABSTRACT

A gramophone record sleeve comprising two side members interconnected along three edges by spines, the fourth edge of the sleeve being closable by a closure flap integral with one side member and pivotal along a hinge line in the one side member parallel to but spaced inwardly of the fourth sleeve edge.

United States Patent Inventor Norman John Garrod Bletchingley, Surrey, Great Britain Appl. No, 856,682 Filed Sept. 10, 1969 Patented May 25, 1971 Priority Jan. 8, 1969 Great Britain 1200459 GRAMOPHONE RECORD SLEEVES 1 1 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 229/68, 206/62 Int. Cl 865d 81/02 Field of Search 229/68; 206/62 P.R.

[56] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,307,772 3/1967 Garrod 229/68 3,495,765 2/1970 Burcheretal. 229/68 Primary Examiner-David M. Bockenek Attorney-Alexander and Dowell ABSTRACT: A gramophone record sleeve comprising two side members interconnected along three edges by spines, the fourth edge of the sleeve being closable by a closure flap integral with one side member and pivotal along a hinge line in the one side member parallel to but spaced inwardly of the fourth sleeve edge.

PATENTEI] mwzsmn 3580.487

sum 1 OF 4 GRAMOPEIONE mzconn SLEEVES This invention relates to gramophone record sleeves, an object of the invention being to provide a record sleeve of improved construction.

A gramophone record sleeve has two substantially square side members interconnected along three closed edges, access to the interior of the sleeve being through an opening extending along the fourth edge. To retain a gramophone record in the sleeve it has been proposed to provide a closure flap for closing the sleeve opening: this invention is more particularly concerned with an improved closure flap construction for a gramophone record sleeve.

According to the present invention there is provided a gramophone record sleeve having two side members interconnected along three closed edges and an opening extending along a fourth edge, and including a closure flap hinged to one side member and adapted to close the opening, the hinge line of the closure flap being spaced from and parallel to the said fourth edge.

Slits are preferably provided in said one side member, said slits interconnecting the ends of the hinge line and the adjacent end of the sleeve opening. Each said slit is, in a preferred construction, inclined at substantially 45 to the edges of the sleeve.

At least one retaining tab may be provided on the internal surface of the said one side member, the or each tab projecting across a respective said slit inside the sleeve to abut an internal surface of the closure flap and prevent rotation of the closure flap about said hinge in a sense opposite to the opening sense of rotation thereof.

Where the said side member of the sleeve is provided with internal edge reinforcement members, the or each said retainingtab may conveniently be an integral part of a said reinforcement member. For example, a sleeve according to the invention may be provided with internally reinforced spines along its closed edges, each spine being perpendicular to the side members of the sleeve, and the edge reinforcement members may comprise internally folded over edge flaps of a blank from which one of the side members of the sleeve is formed. Examples of gramophone record sleeves having internally reinforced spines are described in my earlier specification U.S. Pat. No. 1,] 19,823 and Pat. application Ser. No. 32187/65.

The hinged closure flap is preferably integral with the said one side member, a crease being provided in said side member to form the flap hinge line of the closure flap. Preferably two further parallel creases are provided in the closure flap to cause the flap, when in its closed position, to have a spine portion extending along said fourth edge substantially perpendicularly to the sleeve side members.

The closure flap may itself be reinforced, having a double thickness of the material from which the sleeve side members are formed. Thus the flap may be formed by folding over an integral outer edge portion of a blank from which the said one sleeve member is formed into contact with an inner edge portion so as to form a flap of double thickness, and sticking the two flap portions together.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a gramophone record sleeve according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank from which one of the side members of the sleeve of FIG. 1 is formed;

FIGS. 3 to 7 are plan views of other forms of blank from which side members of the general kind shown in FIG. I can be made; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of part of the blank of FIG. 2 folded to form the said sleeve side member.

The gramophone record sleeve shown in FIG. I is made from two sheets of semistiff material, for example cardboard, comprising front and rear side members I, 2 respectively. The

side members I, 2 are of substantially square shape and are interconnected along three closed edges 3, 4, 5 to form a sleeve or envelope having an opening 6 along its fourth edge 7. A gramophone record (not shown) is inserted into and withdrawn from the sleeve through the said opening 6.

In accordance with the present invention the sleeve is provided with a hinged closure flap 8 attached to one of the side members, in this case the rear side member 2. The flap 8 is shown in its open position in FIG. 1, and is movable into a closed position, indicated in broken lines, in which the outer portion of the flap 8 is tucked behind the front side member 1 and closes the opening6.

The flap 8 is integral with the rear side member 2, the hinge line of the flap 8, indicated at 9, being parallel to and spaced from the said fourth edge 7, as will be apparent from FIG. 2, which shows in plan part of a one-piece cardboard blank from which the rear side member 2 is formed. The flap hinge is constituted by a crease along the hinge line 9 in the outer face of the member 2. Two slits 10, indicated by double lines in FIG. 2, extend from opposite ends of the hinge line 9 to the'adjacent corners of the blank at which respective ends of the opening 6 are formed. The length and position of the hinge line 9 is such that each slit 10 is inclined at 45 to the edges of the blank.

By hinging the flap 8 about the hinge line 9 the flap 8 can be tucked behind the front sidemember 1 when closing the sleeve, the flexibility of the cardboard material being such as to permit this. To prevent the flap 8 projecting forwardly from the rear side member 2 the latter is provided with two retaining tabs 11 each of which projects across one of the slits 10 and is abutted by the inside face of the flap 8. The tabs 11 are integral with the side member 2 but may be made separately and attached thereto. Alternatively, only one such retaining tab- 11 may be provided, projecting across one only of the slits 10.

Each of the closed edges 3, 4, 5 is provided with an internally reinforced spine formed by bending over a respective edge flap 12 at a respective crease 14 to form a flap of double thickness which is in turn folded at right angles successively about two sets of scored or perforated fold lines 15, 15' and 16, 16' to form a respective spine portion 17 perpendicular to the side member 2 and an outer flap portion 18 spaced from and parallel to the side member 2, as shown in FIG. 8.

The front side member 1 comprises a flat square which is stuck to he the outer flap portions 18 of the rear side member 2 to form the respective closed edges 3, 4, 5.

The hinged closure flap 8 in the blank of FIG. 2 is itself provided with an internally reinforced spine by bending over an outer edge portion 22, similar to edge flaps 12, at crease 23, sticking the edge portion 22 to the inside surface of an inner edge portion of the blank to form a double thickness flap 8, and then folding the double thickness flap at right angles successively about two sets of scored or perforated fold lines 20, 21 and 20, 21. By this means there is created a spine portion 24 which is substantially perpendicular to the side members 1 and 2 when the flap 8 is closed.

The blank shown in FIG. 3 is similar to that of FIG. 2 except that the edge flaps 12, at the two comers remote from the sleeve opening, are bevelled off at 45 to the edges of the blank.

The blank shown in FIG. 4 is similar to that of FIG. 2 except that the outer edge portion 22 is omitted, so providing a closure flap 8' of single thickness only.

The blank shown in FIG. 4 is similar to that of FIG. 2 except that the outer edge portion 22 is omitted, so providing a closure flap 8 of single thickness only.

The blank shown in FIG. 5 is similar to that of FIG. 2 except that both the corners remote from the sleeve opening. are bevelled off, as in the blank of FIG. 3, and also the outer edge portion 22 is omitted, to provide a single-thickness closure flap 8.

The blank shown in FIG. 6 is similar to that of FIG. 2 except that the two ends of outer edge portion 22 are bevelled off at 45 to the edges of the blank.

The blank shown in FIG. 7 is similar to that of FIG. 2 except that all-four corners are bevelled off at 45 to the edges of the blank, so providing an eventual sleeve in which retaining tabs for the closure flap 8 are absent.

I claim:

1. A gramophone record sleeve comprising a first and second substantially rectangular side member, means connecting three edges of said first side member to three edges respectively of said second side member to close three edges of said sleeve, the further edges of said side members defining an opening along the fourth edge of said sleeve and a closure flap connected to said first side member and adapted to close said opening, said closure flap being pivotable between an open position and a closed position closing said opening about a hinge line in said first side member, parallel to said fourth sleeve edge and spaced inwardly of the fourth edge of said first side member.

2. A sleeve according to claim 1, comprising slits provided in said first side member, said slits each extending between an end of said hinge line and said fourth edge of said first side member.

3. A sleeve according to claim 1, comprising slits provided in said first side member, said slits each extending between an end of the hinge line and said fourth edge of said first side member and being inclined at substantially 45 to said edge of said sleeve. I

4. A sleeve according to claim 1 comprising slits provided in said first member, said slits each extending between an end of said hinge line and said fourth edge of said first side member, and at least one retaining tab provided on the internal surface of the said first side member, the or each tab projecting across a respective. said slit inside the sleeve to abut an internal surface of said closure flap and prevent rotation of said closure flap about said hinge in a sense opposite to the sense of rotation thereof in moving to said open position.

5. A sleeve according to claim 1, comprising slits provided in said first member, said slits each extending between an end of said hinge line and said fourth edge of said first side member, closed sleeve edge reinforcement 'means comprising internally folded over edge flaps of a blank from which one of said side members is formed and a retaining tab provided on an edge flap, the tab projecting across a respective said slit inside the sleeve to abut an internal surface of said closure flap and prevent rotation of said closure flap about said hinge in a sense opposite to-the sense of rotation thereof in moving to said open position.

6. A sleeve according to claim 1, including internally reinforced spines along its closed edges, each spine extending perpendicular to the side members of the sleeve, and reinforcement members comprising internally folded over edge flaps of a blank from which one of the side members of the sleeve is formed.

7. A sleeve according to claim 1, in which the hinged closure flap is integral with the said first member, a crease line being provided in said first side member to form the hingeline of the closure flap.

8. A sleeve according to claim 1, in which the hinged closure flap is integral with the said first member, a crease line being provided in said first side member to form the hinge line of the closure flap, wherein said closure flap comprises two parallel crease lines extending parallel to said hinge line, such that the flap, when in its closed position, to have a spine portion extending along said fourth edge of said sleeve substantially perpendicularly to said side members.

9. A sleeve according to claim 1, in which the hinged closure flap is integral with the said first member, a crease being provided in said first side member to form the hinge line of the closure flap, and in which the closure flap is formed by folding over an integral outer edge portion of a blank from which the said first sleeve member is formed into contact with an inner edge portion so as to form a flap of double thickness, and connecting said two flap portions together.

10. A blank for forming one side member of a gramophone record sleeve, said blank bein substantially rectangular and comprising a fold line exten mg parallel to and spaced 1nwardly of one edge of said blank, said fold line defining one edge of the one side member of the sleeve, a flap for forming a closure flap of said sleeve defined by said fold line and said one edge of said blank, a crease line in said blank defining a hinge line for said closure flap, said crease line extending parallel to and spaced inwardly of said fold line, and slits extending between the ends of said hinge line and adjacent corners respectively of said one side member of said sleeve.

11. A blank according to claim 10 including an edge flap along an edge of the blank adjacent said one edge of the blank, said edge flap forming an edge reinforcement member in the eventual sleeve, and a tab formed on said edge flap such as will project across a said slit on folding of said edge flap over said blank. 

1. A gramophone record sleeve comprising a first and second substantially rectangular side member, means connecting three edges of said first side member to three edges respectively of said second side member to close three edges of said sleeve, the further edges of said side members defining an opening along the fourth edge of said sleeve and a closure flap connected to said first side member and adapted to close said opening, said closure flap being pivotable between an open position and a closed position closing said opening about a hinge line in said first side member, parallel to said fourth sleeve edge and spaced inwardly of the fourth edge of said first side member.
 2. A sleeve according to claim 1, comprising slits provided in said first side member, said slits each extending between an end of said hinge line and said fourth edge of said first side member.
 3. A sleeve according to claim 1, comprising slits provided in said first side member, said slits each extending between an end of the hinge line and said fourth edge of said first side member and being inclined at substantially 45* to said edge of said sleeve.
 4. A sleeve according to claim 1 comprising slits provided in said first member, said slits each extending between an end of said hinge line and said fourth edge of said first side member, and at least one retaining tab provided on the internal surface of the said first side member, the or each tab projecting across a respective said slit inside the sleeve to abut an internal surface of said closure flap and prevent rotation of said closure flap about said hinge in a sense opposite to the sense of rotation thereof in moving to said open position.
 5. A sleeve according to claim 1, comprising slits provided in said first member, said slits each extending between an end of said hinge line and said fourth edge of said first side member, closed sleeve edge reinforcement means comprising internally folded over edge flaps of a blank from which one of said side members is formed and a retaining tab provided on an edge flap, the tab projecting across a respective said slit inside the sleeve to abut an internal surface of said closure flap and prevent rotation of said closure flap about said hinge in a sense opposite to the sense of rotation thereof in moving to said open position.
 6. A sleeve according to claim 1, including internally reinforced spines along its closed edges, each spine extending perpendicular to the side members of the sleeve, and reinforcement members comprising internally folded over edge flaps of a blank from which one of the side members of the sleeve is formed.
 7. A sleeve according to claim 1, in which the hinged closure flap is integral with the said first member, a crease line being provided in said first sIde member to form the hinge line of the closure flap.
 8. A sleeve according to claim 1, in which the hinged closure flap is integral with the said first member, a crease line being provided in said first side member to form the hinge line of the closure flap, wherein said closure flap comprises two parallel crease lines extending parallel to said hinge line, such that the flap, when in its closed position, to have a spine portion extending along said fourth edge of said sleeve substantially perpendicularly to said side members.
 9. A sleeve according to claim 1, in which the hinged closure flap is integral with the said first member, a crease being provided in said first side member to form the hinge line of the closure flap, and in which the closure flap is formed by folding over an integral outer edge portion of a blank from which the said first sleeve member is formed into contact with an inner edge portion so as to form a flap of double thickness, and connecting said two flap portions together.
 10. A blank for forming one side member of a gramophone record sleeve, said blank being substantially rectangular and comprising a fold line extending parallel to and spaced inwardly of one edge of said blank, said fold line defining one edge of the one side member of the sleeve, a flap for forming a closure flap of said sleeve defined by said fold line and said one edge of said blank, a crease line in said blank defining a hinge line for said closure flap, said crease line extending parallel to and spaced inwardly of said fold line, and slits extending between the ends of said hinge line and adjacent corners respectively of said one side member of said sleeve.
 11. A blank according to claim 10 including an edge flap along an edge of the blank adjacent said one edge of the blank, said edge flap forming an edge reinforcement member in the eventual sleeve, and a tab formed on said edge flap such as will project across a said slit on folding of said edge flap over said blank. 